This is my Cowardice
by Toshiko Yukimura
Summary: Modern AU, reincarnation. In which a ten-year-old Oswald lies through his teeth and tells Jack that Lacie's gone to NARIAH and Jack knows it but goes anyways to humor his best friend. Unfortunately for Jack, he has an "Alyss."


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This is my Resolve

Prologue: Word Play

* * *

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PANDORA HEARTS NOR GAKUEN ALICE IN ANY SUCH MANNER OR WAY.

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A/N:

I am not ashamed of publishing this story even though I have another dozen stories to update!

There will be NO OCs

Amaterasu is a Japanese goddess. One of the matters she rules over is peace

* * *

Summary: Modern AU, reincarnation. In which a ten-year-old Oswald lies through his teeth and tells Jack that Lacie's gone to NARIAH and Jack knows it but goes anyways to humor his best friend. Unfortunately for Jack, he has an "Alyss."

* * *

*Vessalius Manor house (vacation home #15), Hinohara, Japan*

"Os!" the all too familiar voice called out, frantically.

The 10-year-old dark-haired boy clenched his fist as he looked up from his book to stare up at the 9-year-old girl with long, black hair. "What do you want, Lacie?"

"Um, so, like, you see, Jack and I are playing tag!" Lacie fretted. "And I need to hide, so you need to cover up for me- get him off my trail!"

"And why do you have to hide?" Oswald asked, lifting one of his eye-brows. "You never hide from a challenge. Never."

"But if Jack catches me, then I have to be Miranda's gopher for the nest THREE WEEKS!" Lacie screamed, bending down to shake Oswald's shoulders. "Do you hear me Oswald?! THREE GOD DAMN WEEKS!"

Oswald internally wince in sympathy for his sister's plight but on the outside he maintained his cold appearance. "Why did you agree to play if you knew that was at risk? You know Jack always wins!"

Lacie pouted. "But Jack said that if I win, he'll be MY servant for the next three weeks!"

"And do you know why he offered that?"

Lacie blinked. "To make me feel special?" She asked, tilting her head slightly to allow a strand of her lush black hair to fall on her face.

"Because he knew he'd win and you'll lose no matter how hard you tried so he knew that he could bet away anything because he won't lose anything anyways," he deadpanned.

Lacie sniffed. "Aww, Oswald, help me! I've convinced Jack to count to 400 to give me time to find a good hiding spot, but I need you to cover for me!"

"What's in it for me?"

"Besides the feeling of happiness and pride in the thought of helping you damsel-in-distress-sister?" Lacie asked, her eyes shinning with child-like naivety. "The same innocent sister who you've grown up in the past nine years of your life?"

"... Nope, don't see it."

Lacie humphed, her shoulders shaking and mouth wavering as she straightened herself. Oswald braced himself for another loud outburst, but was surprised when Lacie suddenly broke out into a smile. "Okay, Os~. You win."

... _What_? Oswald narrowed his eyes at her.

"I guess I have no choice," She sighed, before grabbing Oswald's head and pulling him by the hair closer to her. " _If you even give the tiniest sliver of a clue about where I'll be, I'll tell Celia who really threw out her dollies~_ ," Lacie hissed menacingly into Oswald's ear, giggling as she felt him suddenly grow as stiff as a rock. Ruffling his hair affectionately, Lacie let go of Oswald's head and ran off to some place Oswald really couldn't give a damn about.

* * *

"398...399...400!" Jack yelled, before turning away from the manor's wall laughing. "Okay, Lacie~. I'm coming for you~," he giggled, sounding like a five year old girl than a ten year old boy. Jack stared at the scene around him, trying to remember where he had heard Lacie screaming a few minutes before. _Now where should I start... I know, I'll seach from the top of the tree_. Excited, Jack ran over to a nearby tree and began climbing, thanking whoever was up there for low branches.

When Jack made it close to the top (He wasn't going to risk climbing onto the weak branches at the very tip of the tree. He liked his neck just the way it was, thank you very much.), he quickly searched the ground below. Quater of a mile away, Jack could make out the wall bordering the property.

Two men- Jack assumed they were Fang and Dug as thoses two had mentioned something about "patrolling the walls" that morning- stood against the inside of the main gate.

A few girls- one of which Jack thought was Echo, but it could have been Zwei, damn twins- were huddled up besides the fountain near the manor's front door.

A few feet closer to Jack was a pink haired girl Jack would recognize anywhere, Lotti, a.k.a. the president of the official Oswald fanclub and #1 Jack hater- wait, no he took that back. She was the #7 Jack hater in his family. The title of #1 went to his cousin, Zai Vessalius.

Jack turned to look in the opposite direction. Some yards away Jack saw his best friend, Oswald, sitting in a small clearing on a picnic blanket, his back rested against the wall as he read one of his numerous fantasy books. Jack grinned. If there was anyone who knew where Lacie was, it would be Os!

Quickly, Jack climbed down the tree, nearly slipping a few times, before

"Oswald, have you seen Lacie around?" Jack asked Oswald.

"No."

"Oh, come on, I know you know~. Lacie screams came from this way~" Jack bluffed, not realizing she indeed went this way.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Oswald replied, his voice as dead as always

"Do you have any idea where she might have gone?" Jack pressed

"I don't know and I don't care."

"... Do you want me to call Lotti?"

Oswald froze. "...You wouldn't dare," he stated.

"Would I really?" Jack smiled, and Oswald was uncomfortable reminded of Lotti's pet cat, Leon.

Oswald shivered. All it would take was the magic three words- _Lotti, Oswald's here!_ \- and the pink-haired menace would be on him like there was no tomorrow.

"Don't worry, Os-" Oswald hissed at the undesirable nickname "- I won't call for Lotti... just tell me where Lacie is~."

 _"If you even give the tiniest sliver of a clue about where I'll be, I'll tell Celia who really threw out her dollies~."_

"I don't know, I really don't know!" Oswald said, and it was true. He didn't have a clue where Lacie was. _Well... she could be hiding in that old shrine we found a few days ago..._

"Your eyes are telling me you have some sort of idea where she went and that

 _Goddammit and you freakin' psychic powers!_

"I'm gonna call for Lotti now."

"Wait, no, she's at, ah-"

 _"If you even give the tiniest sliver of a clue about where I'll be, I'll tell Celia who really threw out her dollies~."_

"-Narnia!" Oswald said, immediately regretting it the moment the word left his mouth.

Jack stared at him disbelievingly before lowering his gaze to the book in Oswald's hands. "Naria... right... LOT-"

"W-WAIT!" Oswald shouted, grabbing Jack's attention. "I didn't say Narnia, I said NARIAH!"

"Nariah?" Jack repeated.

"Yes, NARIAH," Oswald said more composed. "It stands for National Alice Research Institute Academy Headquarters."

"Lacie ran to some preppy school that is like twenty miles away from the manor," Jack stated, still incredulous.

"Y-You know Lacie, she'd go through any lengths to avoid having to be in Miranda's presence for more than five seconds," Oswald said quickly, hoping desperately that by some sort of miracle Jack would believe him.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"... Okay!" Jack said happily. "I guess I'll be running more than I expected~. See you later, alligator~!" With that Jack ran as fast as he could to the gate.

Oswald blinked at the sand storm Jack left in his wake before sighing and collapsing against the root of the tree. Honestly, he couldn't decide who more tiring in this twisted "family."

He sighed. "At least it's all peaceful and quiet again... Hopefully it'll stay like that."

Unfortunately for poor Oswald, Amaterasu was not on his side that day...

* * *

Lotti sighed as she wandered through the family woods with only her dear savannah by her side. Her savannah was a large cat that look almost like a leopard named Leon. She had spent the last hour trying to find her idol and soulmate, Oswald, the small forest to no avail. It was almost as if fate was trying to keep the two star-crossed (not really) lovers from finding one another again.

"Oh, darling Oswald, where art thou in thy mostrous garden," Lotti sighed.

"HEY! Lotti!" Lotti froze. That voice...

" _ **JAAAAACKKK...**_ " Lotti hissed, slowly turning her head around to face the blonde nuisance and her #1 rival in love- not that Jack knew that. He just though Lotti hated blondes.

It wasn't that she hated him or anything... it was just that she hated him and everything. Maybe if he stopped hanging out with Oswald and stopped calling him Os since Oswald _clearly_ hated being called that and let other people (like Lotti) play with Oswald, she wouldn't hate him that much. Hell, she might probably consider him a friend if Jack just got out of Oswald's life.

"Oswald's sitting in the small clearing near to the picnic area!" Jack told her as he skidded to a stop next to her. "I think he's a bit lonely actually." With that he petted Leon on the head and ran off to the front gate. Lotti blinked, before smiling happily. _Jack's giving me time with Oswald! And Oswald is by himself! YES!_ She giggled before hurrying to Oswald's side. _Jack's not all that bad afterall_!

* * *

Jack sighed as he tapped the window impatiently. Jack had wanted to go to Tokyo by himself, but Fang and Dug (Jack had guessed right after all) had stopped him, saying that he was not allowed to leave the complex without his father's permission.

* * *

 _*Flashback*_

 _"C'mon, Dug, Fang, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?!" Jack begged. "I'm never allowed to go ANYWHERE and it sooooooo boring in this place!"_

 _Dug looked at him, shocked. "Boring? Boring?! BORING?! How the hell is this place boring, Jack? HOW?! You got ten computers, five lap tops, 300 wii games, 437 nintendo games, 36 PLAY STATIONS, THIRTEEN TVs and a hellava mountain of toys ranging from god knows what?!"_

 _"How... do you know all that?" Fang asked, moving a little bit away from Dug._

 _"How ELSE do you think I spend those sleepless nights here, Fang? HOW?!"_

 _Jack pouted. "What's fun about it if no one wants to play with you?!"_

 _"Ask Lacie to play with then!" Dug said gruffly._

 _"Lacie doesn't like paying video games! She thinks it's freakin' witchcraft!" Jack complained._

 _"Alright, how about this, we'll see if someone is going into Tokyo and won't mind taking you with him for a few hours," Fang told Jack. "You can't go by yourself, however! And under no circumstances are you to tell your father!"_

 _*End Flashback*_

* * *

Jack had wanted to tell them that "Lacie did!" but that would be a lie and they would know it's a lie- heck, Jack knew it was a lying. Oswald was many things, but a good liar he was not.

(What Jack didn't know was that Oswald _was_ a very good liar- it was just that Jack knew him way too well.)

If on the slim chance they did believe him, they would first search the whole compound for her. When they didn't find her they would go to NARIAH and asked if they had seen Lacie. The school would say no and the family would send a search party throughout the city of Tokyo and the village in Hinohara before turning on Jack and asking him who told Jack that Lacie went to NARIAH. Jack would then have to either lie through his teeth or blame it all on Oswald, both terrible options in his opinion because lying through his teeth meant blaming it on someone else and that someone else would have to be Lotti but if he blamed it on Lotti she would burn his hair off and he would no longer be able to grow his hair ever. again. EVER. Then hours later, Lacie would get hungry and would sneak into the kitchens where she would be found and all three of them (actually, no, Jack wouldn't get in trouble. He didn't really do anything) would be in serious trouble and probably grounded to stay in their rooms for the rest of the month.

So now, here they were, stuck in a car with stale cool air coming from the AC, surrounded by hot, smelly traffic.

Revis Levi, who Fang ropped into driving Jack into the city, tapped the steering wheel impatiently. "God damn big cities and their damn traffic," Revis growled, his tone unnaturally dark.

 _This is boring_ , Jack thought. _If only I could leave..._

 _..._

 _..._

 _...Why don't I just leave. I doubt Revis will notice or even care for that matter._

Jack waited until Revis was busy shouting curses at the guy in the car next to them who was trying to cut in front of them before unbuckling his seat belt, opening the safety lock and quietly slipping out of the car.

* * *

Jack wandered the streets of Tokyo, staring in wonder at the metropolis around him. He had never seen a place like this before. Jack had lived in rural and sub-urban areas all his life. He had never gone to any of the "big" cities like all his other siblings and friends had, such as London or New York. Why, Jack never knew. His father never did like answering his youngest "b*****d son's questions...

Jack eyes widened when he saw a sweet's shop on the other side of a busy road. The traffic light was red, so Jack didn't waste any time in

A man wearing a black trench coat and carrying a brown leather bag turned around the corner when Jack reached the curve. Since he was running, Jack couldn't stop himself before he bumped into the man, falling backwards onto the floor. The man stopped and tried to glare at Jack, but since the man was wearing some sort of weird white mask Jack wasn't really effected.

"Gomen na sai!" Jack said, bowing like all those people in anime do when they bump into someone.

The man simply smooth down his coat and walked passed. "Orokana burondo no shōnen," he muttered as he did so.

(Orokana burondo no shōnen = foolish blonde boy)

Jack huffed at the comment, and got up from the side walk. He looked at the stranger's back before noticing a small scrap of paper fall from the man's bag. The man didn't notice.

Curious, Jack walked over to pick up the piece of paper. He began to read the single words:

 _ **alice**_  
 _ **alive**_  
 _ **live**_  
 _ **al**_  
 _ **ive**_

 _ **ice**_  
 _ **lice**_

 _ **lace**_  
 _ **ilace**_

 _ **alice**_

 _ **lace**_

 _ **i  
**_ _ **lac  
**_ _ **i  
**_ _ **e**_

 _ **al**_  
 _ **ic**_  
 _ **e**_

 _ **alice  
**_ _ **a  
**_ _ **l  
**_ _ **i  
**_ _ **c  
**_ _ **e  
**_ _ **al**_

 _ **la  
**_ _ **ic  
**_ _ **ci  
**_ ** _e_**

 _ **lac  
**_ _ **ie**_

 _ **lacie  
**_ _ **Celia**_

 ** _ileac_**

Jack stared at the scrap paper in confusion. _What-just what? Is this some kind of code_? Distracted, Jack got to his feet and began to cross the road, crumpling the piece of paper in his hand. Sadly, the traffic light had already changed to green.

Jack was startled then when he heard a loud honking sound coming from his right. He turned suddenly to see a black Mercedes running at him. So close to him. He eyes widened before everything went black.


End file.
